


Bathtub Blankets

by Fukami_kun



Category: Hello Charlotte (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Fluff and Angst, Introspection, M/M, Panic Attacks, okay theres very little actual angst here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 18:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13886682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fukami_kun/pseuds/Fukami_kun
Summary: His eyes were bothering him again. He didn’t like it. Bennett rose a hand to rub at his eyes. It pricked when he applied too much pressure, but he continued to irritate them even further. They still stung, even though it’s been a while since Huxley ‘cured’ him. He’s grateful and all for being rid of that horrible plague but the eyes were still such a fucking bother. Even though they no longer keep him awake at night with their unbearable pain, they were so irritating.





	Bathtub Blankets

**Author's Note:**

> gfdjshkggdkjfg okay i wrote this in 2 hours (i kept getting distracted) and i KNOW this isnt that great (its not edited at all) but i just wanted to get this idea out there bc i wanted to write something super badly (sorry for the bad title too). i just...........really love...........bennett and felix.............hhhhkgjhsdfh
> 
> but anyways this is based off that one picture of bennett and huxley asleep in young charlotte's bathtub. i just wanted to do a little scenario with felix instead of huxley. i thought it'd be cute.
> 
> anyways, i hope you enjoy!

His eyes were bothering him again. He didn’t like it. Bennett rose a hand to rub at his eyes. It pricked when he applied too much pressure, but he continued to irritate them even further. They still stung, even though it’s been a while since Huxley ‘cured’ him. He’s grateful and all for being rid of that horrible plague but the eyes were still such a fucking bother. Even though they no longer keep him awake at night with their unbearable pain, they were so irritating. 

Just trying to scratch at them made them even itchier. Bennett almost stopped trying to rub his eyes with his knuckles, but instead with his nails. It pissed him off so much. He tried to focus on the snores and quiet sounds of the other workers sleeping, but his eyes were so  _ fucking annoying _ . It was late. Probably midnight or whatever the hell. He could care less. All he could think about right now were his eyes. Eyes eyes eyes. God. Bennett shook his head fervently, trying to push the intrusive thoughts out of his mind. 

He tried to sit up in what little space he sleeps in. Bennett leaned against the side of his capsule and attempted to calm down. His legs were drawn together under the musty blanket, (he hasn’t bothered to wash it in months) all tensed up from stress. He didn’t even realize how rigid his body became. Bennett curled his toes in under the blanket as he tried to take deep breaths, trying to listen to Felix’s advice. ‘Just try to think about other things,’ Felix’s voice echoed in his mind. Okay. Yeah. He could do that. 

Bennett closes his eyes and tries to not focus on his  _ other eyes _ . He fixated on Florence’s breathing. If he looked over the edge of his bed he could see her arm hanging over the side of her own edge. Her metal prosthetic arm was beginning to lose its shine, he observes. Bennett doesn’t think he’s seen her polish it or finetune it lately. Maybe she’s been stressed out? She's usually so vigilant in her repairs and such. He lets his gaze wander about the empty room as he thinks back to how much work Huxley has given her in the past week. Bennett interrupts himself from his train of thought and knits his brows together. He should bring it up with her sometime soon, he worries, after all. 

It’s so ironic how much he seems to care about others when in reality, he won’t even lift a finger to care about himself. Even if he’s constantly high on soap, Bennett tries to be at least a little bit considerate towards others. Key word,  _ tries _ . He knows he’s still an extremely brash and overt person whose main tone of voice is snark, but he tries. Bennett tries to be cheerful, to be nice, to be  _ convincing _ . Perhaps it’s because most of his self esteem was crushed as a test subject. He doesn’t know, and he doesn’t care. Or maybe he doesn’t want to care. Maybe he cares too much. Bennett tries to shrug it off.

After a while, Bennett realizes he’s calmed down. His hands aren’t as shaky or clammy as before, but they still feel a little numb. He tries wiping them on his blankets to stimulate any sort of feeling, but they still feel weird. Plus, his bed seems just a little bit too hot right now. He quirks an eyebrow, wondering if it’s so hot because of how flustered he got during his attack. It’s not like this was thing that happened rarely. Midnight panic attacks were such a common occurrence that Bennett stopped trying to mind them, but he always found himself confused after each one. 

Bennett swings his feet over the edge of his cubicle and tries to lower himself to the ground, soundlessly. The blonde looks to his right before he exits the lab and smiles at his coworkers. He makes his way to the bathroom and turns the faucet on immediately. As quietly as he can, Bennett splashes cold water onto his face. It feels somewhat uncomfortable first, due to the shockingly freezing temperature, but after a moment he adjusts. He follows his daily morning routine, except for brushing and drinking soap. When he finishes, he takes the hand towel from its little hanger and pats it onto his wet face. 

He takes a refreshed sigh. When he’s able to pull through and follow Felix’s advice, it feels so  _ nice _ . If he’s speaking honestly, that’s not very common for him. Hell, he’s almost always in a soap induced craze. Bennett stares at himself in the mirror for a minute. Should he go back to the lab or stay here? He turns his head to look at the bathtub. It would be a lot cooler, but maybe it’d be too cold? Bennett mulls it over for a second, but he concedes to the bathtub idea. 

The worker takes a few towels from the nearby linen cabinet and carries them towards the tub. He lays the thickest one on the bottom, then two more along the sides. Bennett looks down at his work. He hums. Not enough towels. The worker turns back towards the cabinet and takes the remaining towels. Aiden might be angry in the morning when he sees that he disturbed the linen cabinet. Bennett shrugs. The rest of the towels are put down to cover more of the cold, ceramic of the tub, or to act as cushions. 

Bennett stands back once he’s done and takes the biggest towel for a blanket. The blonde lowers himself into the tub and swaddles himself in the blankets. It’s definitely not as warm or comfy as the one night he spent with Huxley but, it’s still fine. Bennett closes his eyes and his mind wanders to Huxley. He doesn’t look related to Felix, but they’re so similar in personality, it’s kinda obvious. They’re always too wrapped up in work or research, it’s almost amusing. Bennett chuckles sleepily. There once was a time when Felix almost ended up drinking a beaker full of some dubious acid rather than his coffee. He ends up falling asleep thinking of all the weird things they’ve done when they’re sleep deprived. 

When he wakes up- or more like, rudely woken up- there’s a finger prodding at his forehead. He groans and yawns, trying to force himself awake. Bennett lifts himself up from his mess of towels and blinks blearily into annoyed pinkish-orange eyes. It takes a moment for it to realize that that’s Felix. The young scientist pokes a finger in the center of Bennett’s forehead once again. Bennett’s eyes slowly follow the digit as it moves towards him, still not quite registering everything. In a quick second, Felix flicks his thumb and his middle finger together. The worker yelps in surprise and reels backwards, lifting his hands up to the spot where Felix hit. He pouts at his junior, who looks back at him with zero remorse. 

“Oww! Why’d you do that, Mr. Honikker?!” Bennett whines. Felix rolls his eyes and raises his fingers, which are already in the position to flick again. The worker’s pout seems to work itself into a deeper frown, but it doesn’t seem like Felix cares. “Stop calling me that. It’s too formal. Also, did you really sleep in here, again?”

“Why does it matter to you, Mr. Ho-” Felix’s eyes darken and he shoots daggers at the other boy, who corrects himself immediately. “-Felix…I said Felix, okay?” 

“I don’t know, maybe because I don’t want to deal with an angry Aiden?” the scientist replies sarcastically. Bennett fidgets amongst his strange, clothy nest. Felix eyes him and the towels with a deadpan expression. “Yeah…okay that’s fair, but I’m comfy now.”

“Seriously? That doesn’t look very…pleasant to sleep in.” 

“Yeah seriously! Come join me!”

“Bennett, it’s morning. Get up.”

“But you wake up earlier than everyone else, cmon!! Join me! For a little bit!” Bennett says enthusiastically, gesturing frantically with his hands for Felix to join him. The younger boy has his arms crossed, but Bennett slowly reaches out to try and pry them away from his chest. Felix allows Bennett to do so, and lets the elder boy drag him a little closer to the rim of the bathtub. He glances at Bennett’s amiable face, then at the clock, which showed there to be at least a half hour before everyone else wakes up. Felix looks again at his senior, who keeps staring at him with such determination. He sighs exasperatedly, but he concedes. Bennett silently cheers. 

Felix lowers himself into the tub, and Bennett tries to shift to the side to allow him more space. Their arms are touching and Bennett’s lanky limbs are boney and annoying, but Felix lets it happen. After a few minutes of awkward shifting and exchanges of ‘is this okay?’, the two boys finally settled in. Bennett threw the topmost towel over them both and let it flutter over them. Felix has his head on Bennett’s chest and his arms curled towards his own chest. The latter was basically wound around him like a snake. It was warm and nice and surprisingly cozy. 

They both lay in silence, staring at the popcorn ceiling. The bathroom door was left slightly ajar, so a little bit of light streamed in, leaving wobbly-looking shadows above them. Every few moments, Bennett would lift his arm up and point out any strange looking shapes that he would spot. The younger boy would hum quietly in response while the latter would ramble on. It’s still a little quiet, but Bennett thinks it’s bearable. Pleasant, almost. Perhaps it’s because Felix is here. 

Bennett closes his eyes and Felix shoots a warning glare at him, even though he knows the former won’t see it. The worker knew he shouldn’t fall asleep again, but things were just so nice and perfect. He felt Felix snuggle closer into his side. When he looked down, Felix was clearly averting his gaze. Bennett giggled internally. It felt so nice to be happy without soap, for once. He wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and smiled. Felix sighed, but it didn’t sound like his usual, moody sigh. 

In the end, they both ended up falling asleep. When Charlotte would awake a little while later, she would open the door to find them both nestled next to each other. She would grab her toothbrush and other toiletries and get ready in the kitchen. Maybe those two could use a little bit more time to rest. They seemed dead to the world, after all. Charlotte would smile and laugh. Later on when they wake up, she’ll help them out with the deer and the bunny. But for now, she’d let them sleep in their makeshift bed of towels.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! 
> 
> by the way, i have a hello charlotte server on discord. it's still small and i like it that way, but im always open to new people joining! --> https://discord.gg/DGfEyak (the link is set to never expire, but if it does, tell me in the comments and i'll reply with a fresh one)
> 
> im also on tumblr as gay-fukami so you can always talk to me there too!


End file.
